Galdor Milorn
History Galdor recounting his story to Joseph and Lyria on his initiation into the Order of the Gauntlet (see A Chapter of Clerics): "I was barely out of my 50's. I guess for humans I would've been a child of 10 years. It was winter and food was scarcer than usual. I was out late afternoon near the Hills of Gluthmere forest, foraging for berries and nuts when I heard shrieks and squabbles. I hid my steps and headed towards the noise. What I saw was a large white doe. So large its head would've reached my chest! But it was being stabbed by a band of orcs. Poles were already sticking out from her sides and she was flinging out blood over the snow. Such torture of animals is abhorrent to us firbolgs. We prefer fast hunting so the animal doesn't suffer needlessly. So I grabbed one of the fallen trees and charged into the fray!" "Oh, it was my first fight! I don't think I did very well. There were more than 15 of them and I was young, alone, and famished that winter. I don't know how much time passed. With my trunk and the doe kicking the orcs, we championed. We were both very much hurt and exhausted though. The doe finally collapses while I drop to my knees, heaving!" "I mustered my strength and carried the doe. I hunted in these forests and hills for roughly 40 years and know the terrain fairly well. The orcs would've had a small pocket to venture downhill from the mountains with a winter this bad. I retraced their tracks and found a small cave; well, small by my standards." "I placed the doe furthest inside and went back out to gather fallen logs. I carried them one by one until I have enough to barricade from the inside. Once finished, and we have decent cover from the snowfall and cold, I used my stone-flint to make a small fire. I examined the doe's wounds and figured the poles will at least stop her from bleeding out. I still chewed some herbs I keep in my pouches and smeared it around the gashes." "I guess you could have argued that killing it quickly is merciful. But the doe fought bravely even before I arrived and was still fighting to survive. So I offered it the meager berries and nuts I foraged for the day. With luck, I could still have a decent meal when I travel home the morning after." "The next morning, I woke with a start and I heard no breathing near me. I crawled and felt with my hands but found no doe. I pushed at the barricade and let the sunlight in. Instead of a doe, or at least its footprints, what was left behind was a sapling. It was very green and was such a rare color in white-cold winter. It was surrounded by seeds that were different from the berries and nuts I offered to the doe." "I dug through the snow and earth and found that it rooted quite deep already. I slowly sunk it into one of my pouches and gathered the rest of the unknown seeds into another pouch. I rushed back home, cradling the pouch with the sapling with both hands like I was holding a butterfly. I recounted the story to my elders and they too were as bewildered as I am." "It has been a long time since we have felt a presence from any divine," they said. "We have names of the gods of old but has lost touch in their belief as we have closed our clans from the rest of the world. Now, we have only our Code to tie us to this earth.... We shall put it to a vote, what is to be done with these." "The seeds grew and bore fruits and vegetables the firbolgs have never seen. And though they were bountiful, the fruits they bore were no longer magical. But still, the firbolgs who only knew of the hunt, now know how to plant and grow things." "Ever since they planted the magical saplings and seeds, I had been experiencing wild dreams. There was always a deer in the dream. I never saw it but I kept hearing its hooves as it runs further away from me, into places I've never seen, and vague faces of people and races I've never met. They grew more frequent as the years passed and the agriculture life more stable. And on my 125th year, my clan majorly voted for me to venture out and find the meaning of my dreams." "As I left the clan, they chanted and stomped: "''Prakt, Strev, Rang glang byrd!... Bravery, Effort, and Honor over birth!"'' It is the code of the Firbolgs. It is what makes a firbolg. But I was fearful for no one has ventured out of the clan from my memories. As I approached the edge of the forest, the fear clutched at me and I turned back towards the direction of my village for courage. And the doe was staring back at me from a rise. It had blood on its chest. And in a blink, the doe turned into a woman so radiant that it felt blinding. The blood on her chest turned into a rose. She pulled it and offered it to me. I slowly moved closer, afraid and awed as I clasped the rose. Its thorns made me bleed but all I could perceive was her. I dropped on one knee and bowed low. When I raised my head, she was already gone. And the rose had droplets of my blood. So I turned towards the edge of the forest. And started my path into the world. It would ultimately bring me across The Dragonmere waters and me trying to help an insect druid shaped like a spider. I didn't know what liquid it was and got stuck! Hahaha. It was Alejandro who saved me and thus started my adventures with Lyth and her companions. I hope you, Joseph and Lyria, enjoyed my story." Personality Galdor is a neutral good character, though he is considered lawful good under the Firbolg Code. His actions and powers are pushed by his dedication to Chauntea. Galdor is often peeved by his party's intentions and actions, which usually involve looting, threatening civilians, and their general disregard for other people outside the guild. Still, he remains a true friend, but will not raise his hand to help people who he deems are not good, nor those who have done evil actions. When meeting new people, he initially has a good disposition and aims to befriend them. Galdor prefers to remain quiet, meditating about his surroundings and the people he is with. He will only speak up and take action when he disagrees with other people. Even with his party, he will act on his own or against them, if it means protecting civilians. He naturally gravitates toward good people and protecting children. He prefers to attack only as retaliation. As a Firbolg, he does not hoard wealth like other mortals. Instead, he uses his money to anonymously donate to his friends, and dote on his dragon child, Alfirin. He likes to spend his time gardening or farming to help the Silver Sickles Guild feed the poor. The (Firbolg) Code The Firbolg Code (in the original): Prakt, Strev, Rang, glang byrd. (Bravery, Effort, and Honor over birth.) Long ago, the firbolgs developed a stringent code of conduct that governs their actions. Although the code is obviously thousands of years old, its exact origins are now obscured by the mists of time. At the heart of the code is the idea that individuals should be judged based upon their actions rather than upon their birth; to the firbolgs, people’s deeds are the truth of their being. Another of the code’s important concepts is the idea that the individual is nothing without society, and the preservation of society must be of the highest priority of all individuals. Every firbolg clan reacts differently to the code, but all see it as vital to their survival and elevation. Most firbolgs keep the code to themselves, believing it is virtuous to simply live the code rather than preach it. Merely talking about deeds and philosophies rather than living them is sometimes looked upon as a form of cowardice. Appearance Galdor has brownish-brown hair and beard. He likes to keep his hair in medium length, pushed back, and neat; a preference he picked up from the Cleric Temple. His relaxed and kind eyes are of brown color. The rest of features are of norm in the Firbolgs: pointed ears and bluish-green skin. Galdor wears priest vestments of brown color, typical color of Chauntea's followers. He refuses to wear armor as it is seen as cowardly among Firbolgs. The ring on his right hand is a Ring of Storing Spells. The circlet on his left is a Circlet of Protection. He wears a white cloth that turns into wings on his command (Wings of Flying). His necklace with Chauntea's symbol of grain is a Necklace of Healing. Abilities As a Firbolg, Galdor can turn invisible (Hidden Step) as an action or bonus action once every short rest that lasts for one turn. Even as with a medium build, he can carry, push, drag, and lift large objects. He can also use his Athletics ability instead of his Strength check when doing a saving throw. Firbolgs like Galdor's words can be understood by all beasts and plant-life; therefore he has advantage on all Charisma checks on them. Galdor is under training of the Order of the Gauntlet to explore his sorcerer powers after being identified by Joseph as a Favored Soul. As Favored by Chauntea, Galdor can add 2d4 once per short rest if he fails a save or attack roll. Relationships Galdor feels beholden to Alejandro El Magnifico as he is Galdor's savior from being stuck on the Aboleth slime. Though he feels this way, Galdor remains true to the Code and will forego his loyalty to Alejandro if Galdor disagrees to his ways. He has developed close friendships with Uther, Joseph and Lyria of the Order of the Gauntlet after his adventure in the Underdark. They are dubbed the Jesuits for having equipped Continual Flame, and holy appearances. He is a welcomed friend by Helena the Provider, leader of the Silver Sickles Guild, in Saerloon, Sembia. They are both worshipers of Chauntea, and dedicated to growing green life and feeding the poor. Galdor makes weekly donations to the Silver Sickles to further their cause.